Motor vehicle



A. B. NORWALK- M0103 VEMCLE.

APPLICATION FILED IAY 25. I917.

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rm! COLUMBIA PLANOIIRAPN Cm, WASHlNflTON. n. c.

Patented Oct. 7, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- A a. NO'RWALK. MOTOR VEHlCLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. 19H.

Patented Oct. 7 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- to Q wil 3 ammo; JIM /5. W

Roan";

rm; unlmnn I LANIKUMP I 60., WASHINGTON, I: c.

A. B. NURWALK.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

"women men MAY 2s. 19!].

1,317,814. Patented Oct. 7,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- ALBERT B. noawatx, or new YORK, N. Y.

moron-vnmcna.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 0on7, 1919.

Application filed May 25, 19-17. Serial. N0. 170,799.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT B. NoRwALK, a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMotor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to motor vehicles such as motor cars or automobiles, and the object of my invention is to produce a practical, dependable and serviceable motor car which can be sold at a very low price, and in this connection other objects of my invention are inexpensiveness of manufacture, simplicity of construction, strength, durability, reliability, comfort in use, and other objects and advantages which will hereinafter appear.

My invention includes the mounting of a superstructure including a seat-carrying resilient platform, such for example, as a. buckboard platform,'upon a chassis which includes a comparatively rigid running-gear frame, and my invention further includes supporting means for the resilient platform adapted, to permit the free resilient action thereof, such supporting means more particularly including pivotal connections between the ends of the superposed resilient platform and the underlying chassis frame and such connections also providing for the free longitudinal movement of the ends of the resilient platform relatively to each other while preventing the free longitudinal movement of such platform as a whole relatively to the supporting frame of the chassis. My invention also includes springs tending to raise the middle of the buclrboard plat cm for preventing any permanent downwardly bent condition or set in the boards which form the resilient platform. My invention also includes various features of construction and combinations of parts as will appear from the following description.

I shall now describe the motor car embodying my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and shall thereafter point out my invention in claims.

Figure 1 1s a side elevation of a motor car embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 1s a plan view of the same with the engine. its hood, the footboard. the steering wheeLtiiefuel tank and other partsoin-itted.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the chassis frame together with the buckboard cross-bars and supports.

1g. 4. is a front elevation as seen from the right in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a similar view from the rear as viewed from the left in Fig. 1, with parts omitted.

Fig. 6 is an enlar ed vertical section on a plane indicated by t e line 66 of Fig. 4. as viewed from the left.

Fig. 7 is a similar view on a vertical plane indicated by the line 77 of Fig. 5 as viewed from the right.

The motor vehicle illustrated in the accompanying drawings has a chassis and a backboard superstructure combined therewith in accordance with my invention. The

chassis includes acomparatively rigid steel frame shown as having side bars 1 and 2, a front axle member 3 connecting the front ends of the side bars 1 and 2 and shown as slightly raised or oflset upwardly in its middle part, a rear axle member 4 connecting the rear ends of the side bars 1 and 2 and offset upwardly in its middle part, bent engine-supporting braces 5 and 6 extending angularly between the front axle member 3 and the side bar 1 at the left of the machine and the front axle member 3 and the side bar 2 at the right respectively, a forward cross-beam 7, angle-plate braces 8 therefor, and an intermediate cross-beam 9 and a rear cross-beam 10 both extending transversely between the side bars 1 and 2. The side bars 1 and 2 of the chassis frame are shown as of channel shape and are preferably rovided with wood fillers, as appears in i s. 6 and 7 of the drawlngs. The front ant? rear axle members 3 and 4 are also shown as of channel form. The front cross-beam 7 may be a channel and the other cross-beamst and 10 may be of angle shape, as indicated in Fig. 3.

Front wheels 11 are mounted upon steering knuckles 12 which are pivoted in a usual way in bifurcated axle stubs 13 secured to and forming end extensions of the front axle member 3. The steering knuckles 12 are provided with usual rearwardly extending steerin arms 14 which are connected to'- gether in the usual way by a steering lmk '15. 'At the rear of the machine an axle shaft or driving shaft 16 is journaled in bearin 17 carried by castings 18 which are 5 secure tothe'horiz ontally extended ends of the rear axle member 4, as appears more particularly in Figs. 5 and 7 of the drawings. The driving shaft 16 at its projecting ends carries rear wheels 19, at least one 0 which is a driving wheel rotating with the drive shaft 16, but preferably one of the rear wheels 19 is'loosely mounted to rotate relatively to the drive shaft 16, to facilitate turning and also to reduce the liability of skidding, it having been found that one of the wheels 19 is ample for traction purposes. Mud guards or fenders 20 carried by the chassis frame, including the side bars 1 and 2, are shown as provided for the ground wheels or vehicle wheels 11 and 19.

An internal combustion engine 21, ref erabl of the V type, as indicated in igs. 1 an 4 of the drawings, is mounted upon the front end of the frame adjacent to the front axle member 3 and has, as appears in -the drawings, a crank-chamber projecting somewhat below and cylinders projecting above the front axle member 3 and adjacent frame parts, including the en inc-supporting braces 5 and 6 and the side are 1 and 2. The transmission mechanism between the engine 21 and the drive shaft 16 includes a sprocket wheel 22 fixed upon the drive shaft 16 and connected by a sprocket chain 23 with a sprocket pinion 24 fixed upon a transverse jack-shaft or countershaft 25 journaled in bearings 26 on the side bars 1 and 2. A friction wheel 27 is splined upon the jackshaft 25 to be moved longitudinally thereof and to rotate therewith. A friction disk 28 is adapted to engage the periphery of the friction wheel 27 and is fixed upon the rear end of a longitudinally extending transmission shaft 29 which at its forward end has a splined connection with the crank shaft of the internal combustion engine 21 and which rearward from the engine 21 is journal-ed in a bearing 30 on the forward cross-piece 7. At the rear end of the transmission shaft 29 the friction disk 28 is provided with a flanged boss 31 journaled in a bearing .32 carried by an operating lever or clutch lever 33, which is pivoted at one: end upon the side bar 2 of the chassis frame, and at its other or free end is guided by a Fguide clip on the side bar 1, as appears in 1g. 2. brake drum-34 is fixed upon the drive shaft 16 and is adapted to be gripped by a brake band- 35 anchored to the rear axle member 4 Fig,'5).z 7 t he buckboard superstructure comprises a buckboard platform spaced above the supportting chassis frame which includes thelon- "tudinally extending side bars 1 and 2, and t is buck'board platform includes longitudinall-y extendin resilient slats or boards which are shown as aterally slightly aced a art 'and of which there are full lengt boar s or slats 36,shown as four in number, twoat each side, medium length forward boards or slats 37 between the two airs of full length boards 36 and shown as three in number, and three corresponding middle short boards or slats 38 at the rear, an opening in the platform being provided between the ends of the two sets of middle boards 37 and 38 for the reception of the upper edges of the transversely slidable friction wheel 27 and the friction disk 28, as appears in the drawings. At their forward ends the two pairs of full length boards 36 and the three intermediate forward boards 37 are all firmly secured to a connecting and supporting bar 39 which extends transversely and is shown as provided at its ends, with rigid downwardly projectin platform-support ing lever arms 40, whi in the construction illustrated in the drawings are shown as formed of one piece or integral with the cross-bar 39. The lower ends of the downwardly extending lever arms 40 are connected to the chassis frame side bars 1 and 2 by means of pivots 41, as shown in the drawings. The rear ends of the two pairs of lateral boards or full length boards 36 and the rear ends of the rear short boards 38 are all connected together by and firmly secured to a rear cross-bar 42, shown as provided at its ends with downwardly rojecting lever arms 43, similar to the orward lever arms 40, and terminatin adjacent to the respective side bars 1- an 2. Upright supporting links 44 are pivotally connected at their upper ends to the respective lever arms 43 adjacent to the bar 42 by means of pivot pins 45, and at their lower ends the supporting links 44 are similarly pivotally connected to the upright portions of the upwardly offset rear axle member 4 by means of pivot pins 46, as appears in the drawings, particularly in Fig. 5 thereof.

A pair of simi ar seats 47 are mounted side by side upon the backboard platform, formed by the resilient boards or slats 36, 37 and 38, substantially midway between the transverse end bars 39 and 42, and the seats 47 are shown as supported by means of risers or distance blocks 48 upon upper transverse seat-supporting bars 49, which may be of Wood, and the rearmost of which'tiesjthe rear ends of the middle. front boards 37 to the full length lateral boards'36 at a point ust forward of the upwardly-projecting friction disk 28, transverse reinforcin metal straps 50 being shown as provided below the seat-supporting bars 49 at the lower side of the resilient platform'boards. Theiforward ends of the rear short-middle boards 38 aresecnrely tied totheadjacent long lat-, eral b0ards 36 by means of anupper bar-1151, which may be of .wood, and a lower reinforcing metal strap 52'. firmly secured together through the platfonn boards. F

It will'nowv be evident from the-preceding description that the.resilientbackboardplatrens At the rear of I I "pivoted su porting links 44 provide both for rigid such a way to frilly utilize'to the best advantage the resiiiency of the piatform boards.

the platforfn or late t e e rigidity 1 of the "supporting i v I prevents any free shiftini'g fiiovenie' t longitndinal of this she f the 'platifo'n'n 1 f0 hhepiat em as" a while. the resilient. platform the free angu ar movement due to the down- Ward bending oi yielding of the middle iJart of the iatform and also provide for free longitudinal movement of the rear end of the filatform to compensate for the shortenof the distance along 'aistrai ght line be w fi res rted V of its downwardly arche or heat condition. Also it is who noted thatthe location of the forward pivots 41 at the lower ends Ofjille rigid slipper-ting arms 40, will cause shenward movement of the transverse suspening bar 39 from which they rigidly project, and this rearward movement of timber 39 "with have tenden y to compensated? the drawing together of the'sup-portin ibars 39 and 42 when the platform bends or yields a downwardly as its mean, as will be readil understoodi nawevm as above noted, the

iiiv'oted supportingiinks tcfitirely prevent the possibility of any strain in a longitudinal or endwise direction u'on the resilient hoards of the buckboard p atform', siich as, if unprovided for, would objectionably stifl'en the platform and also would be very liable to tear the boards loose from their end fastenings.

A clutch pan 1; es: projectsahove the carrying at the frees are left'fside I thereof sha e" 'pivotallysiifiiorted as the erase-hens? and has a short downwardly and forwardly projecting lever arm '53 which is connected by means of an operating rod or push-rod54 with the free end of the clutch-operating transverse lever 33, which "55: driving enga ement? with the fieriiihery of at its other end is pivotally connected the side bar 2 of the chassis frame, as hereinthe-"friction wheel 27, 'as is well understood in the art. The push-rod 54 and connected parts areretracted by a coiled fretraetile spring 54 connected to the lever $111153 framefFig. 2).

and anchored to the side bar of the chassis 5 For ehanging" the ratio eitransinissiim or nhe reiative rate of'sped transmittal loy the engine 21 throu hthetransmissien shaft 29 he the ijadk sha V as: and ta the 'ing rockehaft 'so, which rega ned in bear ings carries iheinrerm Enem es-beam 9 of'thenhass'isframe. At itsifother endthe mes shaft 56 carries a short upstanding lever arm 57 which is connected hynieansof an operating rod 58 with one arm of a bellcrank lever 59 pivoted-upon a strap" shown as extending longitudinally between the rear axle rnember' 4: 'and the' reair eross beam 10, the other arm ofthis bell crank lever 59being connected in ans-gal way by means of a an of short 'link'sififl l (oneof which appears in Fig.1 2) with a sieeve 61' mounted upon a flanged boss 62whieh projects from theft-iction wheel 27, as appears in" Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The brake band 35 is operatedto ipthe brake drum 3;- on thedriving sha 1; H5 by means of an upstanding brake pedal 63 fi'xed upon a rock-ehaft 63 which is pivoted in bearings on the forward CI'OSBfbBBm 7 and upon which is fixed'a short upstanding lever arm 64"whieh is connected by means of an operating rod'65 to the brake band 35, as appears in Fig.2 of the drawings. The rock-shaft 63 of the brake pedal 63 also forms a pivotal support for the clutch pedal 53. l

A steering wheel 66 isca rried at its upper end by an inclined steering rod or steering shaft 67 which is pivoted in an upper bearing bracket 68 and in a lower bearing member 69 both of which in the construction shown in thedrawing's; are mounted upon and? secured te'the platform boards, the bearing 69 being shown as located adjacent to the forward end of the platform. The lower end of the steering rod or steering shaft- 67 projects below the hnckboard platform and is provided with a projecting rearwardly and downwardly inclined operating arin 70 which is connected by means of a steering rod 71 with the steering'arm 14 at the right side ofrirtl'fe nraehina asappeers in is. 1' alnd2 oft he' drawings.

fuel tank 72 is shown as nionntedupo-n supporting standards F3 just atthe rear of the seats 47. At a convenient distance forward from the seats 47 the buckboard platform is shown as provided with a footboard or footre'st "F4, shown as'lbcated adjacent to the forward" e'ndof the platform.

Means are provided to prevent a permanent set or downward bend deveioping in'the resilient boards forming the seat supporting backboard platiormi At the front of the machine coiled retractile springs 75 are provided; one of which isconnected to'each of the platform-supporting lever arms {l0 and extends therefrom angularly forward and downward and is anchored to one of the side bars 1 and 2, as clearly appears; in Figs. 1 andiiof the drawings. The spring-s75 exert a forward pull on the lever arms. 40,

.ing efi'ect taking place for the most part when the machine is idle and no load in the seats 47, as will be clearly evident. The above described boardsstraightening effect of the forward springs 75 is reinforced and augmented by rear springs 76 shown as coiled retractile springsattached tqthe lower ends of the rear lever arms 43 and extending forward alongside of and. anchored to the respective side bars 1 and def the chassis frame, as appears most clearly in Figs. 1 and 8 of the drawings. These rear springs 7 6 tend to rock the lever arm 43 inc, counter-clock- Wise direction as viewed'in Fig. '1 and therebyexert a. lifting stress or effect at the'middle upon the resilient boards of the buckboard platform which tends to remove any permanent downward bend or set therein, similarly in this respect to the forward springs 75.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the construction-shown in the drawings and above particularly described within the principle and scope'of my invention. V

I claim: j

1. A motor vehicle having, in combination,

a comparatively rigid rumiingvgear frame extending longitudinally thereof, a superstructure including a bendable resilient platform, and means for-supporting said platform upon said frame and for preventing free bodily shifting movementxof said plat- 7 form as a whole relatively to said frame.

2. A motor vehicle having, in combination, a chassis including. a comparatively rigid longitudinally extending? iframe,' a longitudinally bendable resilient platform, and means for supporting said platform adjacent to its ends upon the chassis frame and for preventing free longitudinal shifting movement of the platform asa whole.

3. The invention claimed; in claim 2 in combination with springs tending to raise the middle of the rmilient platform.

- 4. A motor vehicle having, in combination, a chassis comprising a longitudinally extending frame, front and rear road wheels connected thereby, an engine thereon, and

imam

transmission mechanism; and a superstructure comprising a longitudinally bendable resilient platform supported adjacent to its wliich the supporting means for said, plat form include. means to provide for the ion- 7 gitudinaland angular shifting movement of the endsgof the'platform due to the resilient. bendin of such" platform.

V 6., 1 e,invention claimed .in claim 5 in combination ivith 'springs tending to raise the middle of the resilient platform,

7 motor vehicle having, in combination, a chassis including a frame, asuperstructore carried by the chassis frame and including aresilient platform, and means for supporting the resilient platform at its ends upon the chassis frame, such supporting means including lever arms ri idly secured to and extending downward ram said resiliient platform and pivoted at their lower ends to said chassis frame."

8, Ainotor vehicle havi. in combination, a chassis including a rame, a super structure carried by the chassis frame and in cluding a longitudinally bendable resilient platform, and means for supporting the re silient platform at its ends upon the chassis frame, said supporting means including means for permitting. free bending movement ,of the resilient Vlatform. between its supported ends and or preventin free longitudinal shifting movement 0 such .platform as a whole.

9. The invention claimed in claim 8 in combination with springs tending to raise the'middle of the resilient platform.

10. A motor vehicle having, in combination, a chassisincluding a frame, a superstructure carried by the chassis frame and including a resilient platform, and means for pivotally supporting the ends of the resilient platform upon the chassis frame, said supporting means including means providing for free longitudinal movement of one of the ends of said resilientplatform and for preventing free longitudinal movement of the other end of; said resilient platform;

11.' Asmotor vehicle having, in crnnbinzx;v tion, a chassis including a frame ia superstructure carricd by the chassis frame and including a resilient platform, means for pivotally supportingone end of the resilient platform upon the chassis frame, and means for pivotally supporting and providing for longitudinal movement of the other end of the resilient platform uponand relatively to the chassis frame. r

12. The invention claimed in claim 11 in in-as combination with PHIlgS icudi i h he nicuisqf the resilient latfc including a resilient platf lever arms 4 1-: i V l H i e 2' downward andpivr e rr t s it. endof itlieresihent iplatfonngand supporting'l'inks'for the others 'ofthe reat one end tothe resilient platform and at the other to the chassisiframe so as to Pmfideior both pivotal and longitudinal movemenllof the adjacent end of thefresilient pla m- 15'. A" motor vehicle ha 7,

tion, a chassis comprising a frame, a pair at 7 road wheels at the' front end thereofgeliother pair of road Wheels at the rear endithereof; an e 7 he mounted upon and projecting ahovev e front end of said frame, and trans mission mechanism connecting the engine "to at least one of the road wheels; and asuperi e t f 7 structure comprising a resilient V atform spaced above the chassis frame an ext nd- ;rearward from a point back ofthe eng ne to the rear endvof the chassisframe, a seat u on the resilient platform intermediate of ends, supportingarms rigidly secured to the front endo f the resilient platform and projecting downward and havin a pivotal connection to the chassis frame, an supporting links pivoted to the rear end of the resilient platform and .to the rear end of the chassisframe.

il-5. iavcntion-cl medianleim e 5 =19 combination with springs tendlng said platform-supporting lever arms in a forward direction relatively to the chassis frame for producing a lifting stress at the middle of the resilient platform.

17. The invention claimed in claim 16 in combination with other 5 rings at the rear end of the resilient plat orm adapted also to exert a lifting stress at the middle of the resilient platform.

18. A motor vehicle having, in combination, a chassis including a frame, a superstructure carried by the chassis frame and including a resilient Platform, a lever arm rigidly secured to and projecting downward of vt e re ilien Platf rm, an in; as ro k". t lin -i arm A ene the middle of the ref silient int rn. 7 V V o 19. e inventiQn claimed in "claim '18 79 in c mh na ic i h. anoth r lever a m. ri

from an end a 's' pili g eeds pfvi t ngflc e d from th her end of he r si'l'ent platform,

ingest-ling to rcckit e le amn'in 'directionto raise rthe media of the 7 5 s l ent Plat r 7 26". A motor vehicle having, in combiner tion, a chassis including a frame; a superstructurecarriedby the chassis frame and including a resilient platform; lever arms 80 rig-idly ecured to one "end'of t1 resilient P tform an i r' i fiug e l and pi' w oted toil c assis frame fo'rf c tin that f lient ipletf ms r slmilar or dly secured to the otherend resilient platform and projecting downward. and supporting links pivoted at one end to the latter lever arms and at the otfher end :to the chassis frame for supporting the adjacent end of the resilient platform and for providing for both pivotal and lon itudinal movement of that end of the resi jient platform.

21. Theinventionclaimed inclaim 20 in combination with springs acting between the ehassis frame and said lever arms and tendingto rOCkEthelatter in a direction for raising the middle of the resilient platform.

22. A motor vehicle having, in combination, a chassis in luding a frame, a superstructur carried hj'y'th'e chassis frame and including a longitudinally bendable resilient latform, means for pivotally suppor ing theendsof the resilient platform upon the chassis; frame, said supporting means including means providing for the resilient bendingof said platform' between its ends and for'preventing free longitudinal shifting movement of said platform as a whole relatively to said frame.

2,3. An otor vehicle having, in combinatloma'chassis including a frame, a supersi 'ustlu'e ca riedwb the chassis frame and including a longitudinally bendable resilient -fame new it .l .7 i of the fiesiii en t plat c hassis frame and for preventing free longitudinal shifting momment of the platform as a whole relatively to the frame, and supporting links for the other end of the resilient platform, such links being pivoted at one end to the resilient platform and at the other end to the chassis frame so as to provide for both pivotal and longitudinal movement of the adjacent end of the resilient platform.

24. A motor vehicle having, in combination, a chassis including a frame, a superstructure carried by the chassis frame and including a longitudinally bendable resilient ter lever platform, meansifo pivotallyfsnppoifin one end 9f the resilientplatform upon thee assis frame and for preventing free longi-" tudinal shifting movement of the platform as a whole relatively to the'frame, and supporting links for the other end of the resilient platform, such links having upper ends ivoted to the resilient platform and lower ends pivoted to the chassis frame.

25. A motor vehicle having, in combination, a chassis including aframda superstructure carried by the chassis frame and including a resilient platform, means for pivotally supporting the frontend of the extending frame, front and rear road wheels connected thereby, an engine thereon, and transmission mechanism; and a superstructure comprising a, resilient platform, means for pivotally supporting the front end of the resilient platform' upon the chassis frame, supportmj links for the rear end of the resilient plat orm, such links being pivoted .at one; end to the resilient platform and at the other end'to the chassis frame so as to provide for both pivotal and longitudinal movement of the adjacent end of the resilient platform, and a seat upon the resilient platform at an intermediate location thereof.

27. A motor vehicle having, in combination a chassis comprising a longitudinally extending'frame, front and rear road Wheels connected thereby, an engine thereon, and transmission mechanism; and a superstructure comprising a resilient platform, means for pivotally supporting one end of the resili'ent platform upon the chassis frame and for preventing free longitudinal shifting movement of such platform, supporting links for the other end of the resilientplatform, such links having upper ends pivoted to the resilient platform lower ends pivoted to'the chassis frame so as to provide for both ivotal and longitudinal movement of the ad acentend of the resilient platform, and a seat upon the resilient latform at an intermediate location thereo 28. A motor vehicle having, in combination, a chassis comprising a comparatively rigid longitudinally extendin frame, front and rear road. wheels connecte by the frame, an engine carried by the frame, transmission mechanism on the frame for conneotin the engineto at least one of the road w eels, and brake mechanism on the chassis; and a superstructure comprisin a longitudinally bendable resilient platform supported adjacent to its ends on the frame of the chassisfsupporting means for the ends of said latform adapted to prevent longitudinals ifting movement of said platform as a whole relatively tosaid frame, and a seat u on the resilient platform at an intermediate location thereof.

29. A motor vehicle having, in combination, a chassis comprising a. frame, a pair of road Wheels at the front end thereof, another air of road wheels at the rear'end thereof an engine mounted upon and projecting above thefront end of said frame, and transmission'mechanism connecting the engine to at least one of the road wheels; and a superstructure comprisin a resilient platform spaced above the chassis frame and extending rearward from a point back of the engine to the rear end of the] chassis frame, means for pivotally supporting the front end of the resilient platform upon the chassis frame, supporting links pivoted to the rear end of t e resilient platform and to the rear end of the chassis frame, and a seat carried upon'the resilient platform intermediate of its ends. 7 7

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature.

ALBERT B. NORWALK.

copiel of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G." r 

